Niagara Region is about to be known as the Green Energy Capital of Canada.

Acting on a proposal by Niagara Falls Mayor Jim Diodatti, regional council last night voted to add the moniker to signs at key entry points welcoming visitors to Niagara.

Diodatti says he hopes the pronouncement will help convince more green energy companies to set up shop in the region.

He says the region is a major producer of hydro electric power and there are also companies that produce solar panels, wind turbines and biomass.

The title did meet with some resistance at council particularly from the Mayor's of Wainfleet and Pelham whose town's have been fighting wind turbine development proposals.

He says he understands their concerns and is sympathetic but the moniker is meant to help attract businesses to the region.

Also at last night's meeting, council re-opened the debate on governance.

St. Catharines councillor Bruce Timms says they brought in Brock University Professor and municipal government expert David Siegel to help kick start the discussion.

Timms says he went over the process council should take on the governance issue.

He says the goal is for both levels of municipal government to pull together and work to provide residents with good government.

Council expects to address the issue of governance when it resumes regular meetings in September.

Regional politicians have not said whether governance will translate to amalgamation.

Efforts in the past to turn Niagara into a mega city have met with resistance.